Esteemed
Mr. Mills:
I
trust you find yourself in the best of health and spirits along with your
loved ones.
Please
accept my gratitude for keeping me in the loop concerning this Colorado
affair. As you know, the Mexican equestrian will soon celebrate a half
millennium of existence and has been an essential contributor to American
culture throughout.
The
modern Mexican American Charro belongs to a governing body, the Federación
Mexicana de Charrería (FMCh,) and adheres to a sacrosanct set of
laws established and amended since 1921 in Old México and since
the early 1950’s in the United States of North América. These include,
but are far from limited to, animal welfare safeguards, official lienzo
(Charro arena) dimensions, attire, accouterment and tack standards and
acceptance, et al. I have examined the footage made available through the
FOX31–KDVR news channel and can categorically state that the participants
in this exhibition are not Charros by any stretch of the imagination.
According
to our investigations so far, the phantom Asociación de Charros
“Los Amigos” de Colorado that put on this show is not associated to any
of the known organizations related to competitive Charrería (América’s
original rodeo.) A few of those taped at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds
are seen wearing what appear to be sombreros, but that are not the 4 styles
or categories allowed as defined in our statutes. The majority of these
people are wearing don Stetson’s, baseball caps, or are bareheaded, reasons
for disqualification at any officially sanctioned Charreada.
There
are many other infringements to our Rulebook: to begin with, there is no
lienzo, mandatory for any Charro Association to have in order to register
with the FMCh. None of the participants are wearing chaps or tie; they
are dressed in cowboy-cut jeans, cowboy boots, and cowboy shirts – not
the tailored Charro clothing required for participating in any Charreada.
Encompassing all these flagrant violations, the rider on the pinto horse
loses his seat either because he is a novice or drunk or both, putting
his co-participants, not to mention the animals involved, in jeopardy.
The steers used do not appear to meet the minimum weight requirement addressed
in our bylaws of 320kgs/704lbs. This may all seem irrelevant to you vis-à-vis
animal welfare, but it is important to establish that organized Charrería
absolutely disassociates itself from these charro charlatans. To purchase
a Dollar Store “sombrero” does not a Charro make.
The
reporting by the KDVR is Dan Ratherish, “If it bleeds it leads,” propagandistic
journalism – Woodward and Bernstein would scoff. Did anyone notice the
lead reporter referring to the steers involved - the center of this controversy
- as “cows”? Someone over there should deemand expiscation or you’ll all
remain CBS’s Katie Couric wannabe’s.
It
is not my intention to offend. However, this is not a local “He saved a
cat in the tree” news story. We are dealing with generations of heritage
and an entire community’s culture which is The Art of Charrería.
This was not a story-dump piece; thousands have been exposed to a tilted,
one-sided, nonobjective commentary concerning the Charro.
To
be fair and balanced, were I an investigative reporter, I would at least
have asked the following questions: What was the nature of the injuries
suffered by the 11 steers? Why and how were the 2 steers euthanized? How
and by whom were the carcasses disposed? Who was the stock contractor?
Who paid and how much was exchanged for the injured and dead animals? If
this story is not fabricated, a paper trail must exist.
During
the taped interviews, an unidentified gentleman is asked by a news reporter
what he thought of the allegations of animal abuse. He replied in Spanish,
“No es cierto” (“It’s not true;” no subtitles) and that was the only rebuttal
that lasted all of 3 seconds. Get the guy back in front of the camera,
shove the mic and evidence in his face and get his POV.
Even
you, Mr. Mills, would have to admit that the injury of 11 steers, including
2 deaths, in one afternoon and one event would be an unprecedented first.
The distortion of the Mexican American Charro’s image is neither unique
nor unusual, but we can not and will not let it continue. (See: www.charrousa.com/noticias2010/7leguas05.html.)
It
would be an injustice to condemn an entire culture because of the isolated
incident referenced in this missive and the adverse attention generated
by it without carefully analyzing all the facts. Let me remind you of several
things: you have scrutinized the Charro and his ranch management practices
turned competitive events over the last 20 years, and along with your colleagues
have stated that rodeo cowboy events expose the animals involved to potential
injury to a far greater degree than with any standard charro event.
As
a matter of fact, you recently advised me of documented proof of serious
animal injuries and deaths, included bulls, steers and calves at the California
Rodeo at Salinas and Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Notwithstanding these
facts, animal rights activists have relinquished in every case that cowboy
rodeo be specifically exempted from any anti-charro laws passed by local
or state governments. The objective of the rodeo cowboy’s Steer Wrestling
event is exactly the same as charro Bull Wrestling (Colas) – to stop a
bovine at a run and have it rollover on its back.
In
your correspondence regarding this matter, I do not see any mention of
cowboy rodeo steer wrestling. I assume this is an inadvertent omission
on your part. If not, then it is to be expected that you will again support
and promote the separate but not equal segregationist legislative initiatives
against the Mexican American Charro.
Respectfully
yours.
Edward
F. Ramírez
Mexican
American Classic Charrería Organization
Chairman |
